Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Read 1 Cor 14 with a fresh mindset, committed to reading it with an open mind, in order to understand the following.

1
Cor 14 indicates that the assembly is designed to benefit the
unbelievers, not the believers. Unbelievers will benefit if they come, but that's not the focus. So offering an invitation makes no sense.

We
were tasked with going into all the world and making disciples, not
with inviting them into our meetings designed for believers in order to
try to convert them there.

Our
assemblies are not for the purpose of worshiping God (vertical focus),
or for pulling in outsiders to convert them, but for encouraging one
another (horizontal focus). These other activities (worship and
conversion) will take place in our assemblies, but they're not the
purpose for our assemblies.

A
special "Gospel Meeting" would be an appropriate time to reach out to
unbelievers, but only if it was designed to appeal to unbelievers,
rather than simply an extended version of our current meetings.

(While
on the subject, notice that according to 1 Cor 14, our current meetings
have the wrong focus (vertical instead of horizontal) and are organized
in opposition to Paul's instructions, wherein each member uses whatever
God-given gift he has in order to encourage others, one by one, so that
all may encourage and all may be encouraged. This is reiterated by
Peter, in 1 Peter 4:9-11: "Offer hospitality to one another without
grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve
others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If
anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If
anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that
in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.")"Church" should be for the benefit of believers, not
unbelievers, and if you're going to have an outreach program such as a
"Gospel Meeting", it needs to be designed for the benefit of
unbelievers, not believers.

Note that there's
nothing wrong with evangelizing non-Christians within our assemblies;
in fact, it's a good thing. What I'm railing against is that the
Biblically-stated purpose of assembling is to build up the converted,
and it seems to me that we've neglected
that stated purpose for other things, such as worshiping (also a good
thing in our assemblies (1 Cor 14:17, 25), but not the stated purpose
for them (1 Cor 14:17, 26)) and converting. Both of these are good
things, but not at the neglect of the God-stated purpose, that of the
building up our own.

When
you invite a non-believer to the assembly in hopes of the preacher
converting him, you're in essence expecting the purpose of the assembly
to be the conversion of unbelievers. It's great that an unbeliever might
be converted (as happens late in chapter 14 of 1 Corinthians, not as
the result of preaching, however, but of being convicted and judged by
all the members, not just the preacher, thus revealing his inner
secrets), but to expect that is to expect something that is not the
purpose of the assembly.

All
I'm saying is that we need to realign our thinking of the assembly to
be more Biblical. The assembly is for believers, not for unbelievers.

Originally published at:http://kentwest.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-assembly-is-for-believers-not.html

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Allah is the generic Aramaic word for "God", like the Hebrew Elah (or more commonly recognized in another form, El).

The Scriptures teach us that all of humanity, believers and pagans alike, know of God, testifying that...

what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. (Rom 1:19).

Paul recognizes that the pagans in Athens worship the one true God, although in ignorance:

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you. (Acts 17:23).

Muslims themselves declare that when they use their language's term for "God", that being Allah, they mean the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Do we accuse the French of worshiping a different God because they use the French word for God, Dieu?

Why is it that the Scriptures declare that the world can know of and even worship God (albeit in ignorance), without even knowing His name at all, but we can't admit the possibility that Muslims worship this same God in ignorance, using a different language?

Note, I'm not suggesting the Muslims worship God correctly. I'm merely suggesting that they, like us, are seeking God. Paul says this is by God's design, that God...

has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him. (Acts 17:26ff).

Even Muslims are designed by God to grope for Him, in hope of finding Him.

Apollos knew some things about the Lord, but he needed Priscilla and Aquilla to take him aside and explain to him more accurately the way of God (Acts 18:24ff). Muslims also need to have the way of God explained more accurately to them. They recognize that the One, True God exists, and they're willing to worship Him. We should take them aside and explain to them more accurately the way of God, not cast them away as unworthy of seeking Him.

Originally published at:http://kentwest.blogspot.com/2015/01/allah-is-god.html

Thursday, January 01, 2015

Most modern Christians are under the impression that church members
should give at least ten percent (a "tithe") of their income to the
local church treasury.

But is this the Biblical model? (No, but there's nothing wrong with it, as long as it's not coercive.)

We tend to think that the Jews were required to give a tithe of their
income to the Lord, and that we should do at least that well. Even among
those of us who believe the "legal" requirement of a tithe is no longer
binding, it's commonly believed that a tenth should be the starting
point for giving.

The Jewish Background
--
The Jews were required to leave the corners of their crop fields
unharvested. These unharvested corners could then be reaped by the poor
of the community. (Note that the poor still had to work to feed
themselves.) This corner-harvesting is what we see the widow Ruth doing,
to feed herself and her mother-in-law, in the book of Ruth. This corner
"tax" probably amounted to 1-3% of the farmer's income. Note that this
"tax" was not levied against the poor, who benefited from this "tax",
nor was it levied against non-farm industries.

The Jews were required to take a tenth (the "tithe") of their income to
the national "church", the Temple, at feast-time. This was often in the
form of a sacrificial animal and/or first-fruits of their crops. The
priests working at the Temple would then cook/prepare this food, and
take a portion of that food for themselves, and the remaining portion
would then be eaten by the donor and his family as part of the feast.

Every third year, an additional tithe (averaged over three years would
be about 3%/year) would be given to the priests. Here's the relevant
passage from Deuteronomy 14:

22 “Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields. 23 You
are to eat a tenth of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the firstborn
of your herd and flock, in the presence of Yahweh your God at the place
where He chooses to have His name dwell, so that you will always learn to fear the Lord your God. 24 But
if the distance is too great for you to carry it, since the place where
Yahweh your God chooses to put His name is too far away from you and
since the Lord your God has blessed you, 25 then exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place the Lord your God chooses. 26 You
may spend the money on anything you want: cattle, sheep, wine, beer, or
anything you desire. You are to feast there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice with your family. 27 Do not neglect the Levite within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance among you.28 “At the end of every three years, bring a tenth of all your produce for that year and store it within your gates. 29 Then
the Levite, who has no portion or inheritance among you, the foreigner,
the fatherless, and the widow within your gates may come, eat, and be
satisfied. And the Lord your God will bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.

So the total Jewish "tax" on a Jewish family was about 16% (tithe, plus third-year tithe (3%), plus field corners (3%)).

The typical federal tax on an American family is closer to about 30%,
not including sales taxes and state taxes and gasoline taxes and utility
taxes and administrative fees, etc. Add another 10% for a church
"tithe" to that, and it's no wonder many American Christians feel less
than cheerful about giving to support a system that seemingly does
little more than buy bigger church buildings and fancier ties for the
preacher. Even in the little struggling churches, a member must often
choose between paying his own electric bill or that of the church
building.

The First Century Church
--
When the church first began, it was exclusively Jewish. As such, these
Jewish Christians were still giving their tithes to the Jewish system.
But in addition, they were living communally:

Acts 4:32 Now the
large group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one
said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held
everything in common.

In addition, they also had garage sales and brought the proceeds to the
church leaders to distribute to the other members of the church as they
needed:

Acts 4:34 For there was not a
needy person among them, because all those who owned lands or houses
sold them, brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs.

Later, after Gentiles were grafted into this Jewish Christianity, it was
foretold by the prophet Agabus that a famine was about to hit the
entire Roman world, which led the Christians in Antioch to take up a
collection to send to the saints back in Jerusalem:

Acts 11:27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 Then
one of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that
there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the time of Claudius. 29 So each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Judea. 30 They did this, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.

Later, as Paul recounts these events, he says:

Gal 2:9 When James, Cephas, and John, recognized as pillars,
acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right
hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the
Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I made every effort to do.

As part of this fund-raising effort, Paul particularly appealed to the
Gentile churches in the far-away regions of Macedonia, Achaia (Corinth),
and Galatia (to whom Paul wrote the above quote). At the beginning of
the fund-raiser, Paul writes:

1 Cor 16:2 Now about the collection for the saints: You should do the same as I instructed the Galatian churches. 2 On the first day of the week,
each of you is to set something aside and save in keeping with how he
prospers, so that no collections will need to be made when I come. 3 When I arrive, I will send with letters those you recommend to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem.

And then a year later he writes to them again, saying that the
Macedonian churches did good with their part of collecting, in part
because Paul had bragged to the Macedonians about how the Achaian
churches, which included the Corinthian church, were so eager to help:

2 Cor 9:1 Now concerning the ministry to the saints, it is unnecessary for me to write to you. 2 For I know your eagerness, and I brag about you to the Macedonians: “Achaia has been prepared since last year,” and your zeal has stirred up most of them.

But now he's afraid that the Corinthians will be an embarrassment if they don't carry out on their promise:

2 Cor 9:4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we, not to mention you, would be embarrassed in that situation. 5 Therefore I considered it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance the generous gift you promised, so that it will be ready as a gift and not as an extortion.

That's a large part of the reason Paul is writing 2 Corinthians, in
order to get them to get busy collecting funds to send to Judea. But
notice that what looks to be a command to give in 1 Cor 16:2 is not
actually a command. Paul writes:

2 Cor 8:8 I am not saying this as a command. Rather, by means of the diligence of others, I am testing the genuineness of your love.

Also, note that it's a one-time fund-raiser, not an on-going forever instruction:

2 Cor 8:11 But now finish the task as well, that just as there was eagerness to desire it, so there may also be a completion from what you have.

Also note that it's not an instruction for all Christians; rather, it's
an instruction for the wealthier Christians to give to the poor
Christians, and that if the situation reverses, he then expects the flow
of money to go the other way:

2 Cor 8:12 For if the eagerness is there, it is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 13 It is not that there may be relief for others and hardship for you, but it is a question of equality— 14 at
the present time your surplus is available for their need, so their
abundance may also become available for our need, so there may be
equality. 15 As it has been written: The person who gathered much did not have too much, and the person who gathered little did not have too little.

Paul includes in this section of his letter an assurance to the
Corinthians that arrangements have been made to avoid possible charges
of embezzlement by him:

2 Cor 8:18 And not only that, but he was also appointed by the churches to accompany us with this giftthat is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20 We are taking this precaution so no one can criticize us about this large sum administered by us. 21 For we are making provision for what is right, not only before the Lord but also before men.

When Paul
arrived in Jerusalem and delivered the gift, he then was arrested by his
enemies there, saying at his hearing before Governor Felix:

Acts 24:16 I always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and men. 17 After many years, I came to bring charitable gifts and offerings to my nation, 18 and
while I was doing this, some Jews from Asia found me ritually purified
in the temple, without a crowd and without any uproar. 19 It is they who ought to be here before you to bring charges, if they have anything against me.

As far as regular church budget expenditures, the New Testament church had a fund for helping widows:

1 Tim 5:9 No widow should be placed on the official support list unless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, 10 and is well known for good works....

So far,
from what we've seen in the New Testament, "giving to the church" is on
an as-needed basis, from the Haves to the Have-Nots among the Saints.
It's not for paying a pulpit preacher, or paying the church's electric
bill, or funding Gospel missions and TV programs.

However, there is Scriptural authorization for these things also:

Gal 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, we must work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.

1 Cor 9:7 Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock? 8 Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an oxwhile it treads out grain. Is God really concerned with oxen? 10 Or isn’t He really saying it for us? Yes, this is written for us, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes should do so in hope of sharing the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? 12 If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more?

Titus 3:13 Diligently help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey, so that they will lack nothing.

Rom 16:2 So you should welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help.

Conclusion:
--
In the New Testament church, giving is not commanded, especially from
the Have-Nots, but is encouraged, especially from the Haves, primarily
to help financially-strapped Christians, with the goal of equality.
Giving is also encouraged to help non-Christians, and to further the
gospel presentation to the world and to pay the church bills.

Originally published at:http://kentwest.blogspot.com/2015/01/church-giving.html